Wringer



Oct. 14, 1941. e. w. WARDWELL, JR 2,259,146

WRINGER Filed May 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Geofgewwardwell, Jr. by 6.1 I is Attorney.

Oct. 14, 1941. G w wARDwELL' JR 2,259,146

WRINGER Filed May 24, 1939 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 George X/TWaPdv/ell, Jr.

is Attorney.

Patented a. 14, 1941- George W. Wardwell, Jr., Nichols, Conn-,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of I New York Application May a4, 1939, Serial No. 275,387 7 Claims. (Cl. 68-262) The present invention relates to clothes wring- I ers of the type in which the pressure between the rolls is released when the wringer is not in oper-..

3a bolted to the wringer head and to the side stile 2. The outer end of the side stile'2 is covative condition and in which the wringer is placed in operative condition'by movement of a control bar which presses the rolls together. The control bar may also control the wringer-driving mechanism to start rotation of the rolls when pressed together and to stop the rotation of the rolls when the pressure is released.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in wring- I elevation partly broken away of a wringer embodying my invention; Fig. 2is an enla ed sectional elevation of one end of the wringer; Fig. -3

is a top plan view of the plate containing the cam slot used for shifting thedriving gears for the wringer; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on ered by a. plate 8 suitably fixed thereto. The tubular portion 4 of the wringer head is provided with a spring pressed detent 'l which is adapted to fit in any one of a series of spaced openings 8 in a collar 9 fixed to the wringer postto lock the wringer in a fixed angular position with respect to the wringer post. Through the wringer post extends a wringer drive shaft I Ii which is continuously rotated, for example by the mechanism (not shown) used to drive the washing machine. The shaft I0 projects beyond the upper end of thewringer post I5, and "on its projecting end is fixed a pinion II which is adapted to mesh selectively with one or the other of a pair of crown gears I2. The crown gears are welded to a sleeve I3 which is slidably splined on a horizontal shaft line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the wringer being in the inoperative condition in which the pressure between the wringer rolls is released; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4. the wringer being in the operative condition in whichthe wringer rolls are pressed together; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 8-6 of Fig. 2, the wringer being in the inoperative condition in which thepressure between the wringer rolls is released; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, the wringer being in the operative condition in which the wringer rolls are pressed together; Fig. 8 is,a fragmentary view showing the position of the control bar and th parts associated therewith as the pressure between the wringer rolls is being released; Fig. 9 is a fragi mentary perspective view of one end of thecontrol bar; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the spring pressed members for pressing the upper roll against the lower roll; and Fi 11 is a of the spring pressed membershown in Fig. 10.

' Referring to the drawings, there is shown a wringer having a frame comprising side stiles I and 2. The side stile I is fixed to a wringer head 3 having 9. depending tubular portion 4 for pivotally supporting the wringer on the wringer post 5 of a domestic washing machine. The bottom I4. The left-hand end of shaft I4 is journaled in a bearing I5 carried in a boss IS on the wringer head 3. The right-hand end of the shaft I4 has fixed thereto a coupling member H which rotates in a bearing I3 in a boss I3 on th side stile I and serves as a support for this end of the shaft I4. The gears I2 are shifted by a yoke which fits over the gears and is pivoted at its left end on the boss I6 and at its right end on the shaft I4. Thrust washers 2| are arranged between the inner faces of the yoke 20 and the outer faces of the gears I2. On the upper side of the yoke 20 is fix'ed a plate 22 (Fig. 3) havl ng a cam slot 23 therein which cooperates with a pin 24 threaded into the top wall of the wringer head. With this fragmentary perspective view of a modification pivoted on the shaft I4 the pin 24 will cooperate with the cam slot 23 to move the yoke 20 to the right or left so that one or th other of the gears I 2 will mesh with the driving pinion II, thus con-' trolling the rotation of the shaft [4,. When the driving pinion II meshes with one of the gears I2 the pin 24 rests in one of the portions 25 of the cam slot 23.

The lower and upper wringer rolls 26 and 21 are carried between the side stiles I and 2. The I lower wringer -roll 26 is fixed to a shaft 28 the right end of which is rotatably carried in a bearing 29 in a roll guard 30 which is pivoted in an arcuate portion 3| in th side stile 2. At the left end of the rolls is another roll guard 32 which is pivoted on the boss I9. Both roll'guards have inwardly extending flanges 33 which overlap the ends of the wringer rolls and keep the clothes from passing beyond the nds of the rolls. The left end of the shaft 28 terminates in a coumember of the wringer frame comprises a bar 55 p1ing 34 having a pin 35 fixed therein, theprojecting ends of which extend within cooperating slots in the coupling member l1. The left end of the shaft 23 is supported by a cylindrical portion 36 of the coupling 34 which extends within a depression 31 in the coupling member H.

The upper wringer roll 21 is rotatably carried "on a shaft 38 fixed at each end to vertically extending arms 39 which are connected at their upper ends by a control bar 43 which extends across the top ofthe wringer. The assembly comprising the control bar 49, the arms 39, and

the shaft 38 serves as a carrier for the upper roll 21. The arms 39 are provided with bosses 4| which fit in open ended slots 42 in the pivoted roll guards 30 and 32 (Figs. 4 and -5). Above the bosses 4| are pins 43 which are pressed into the outer faces of the arms 39. Below the pins 43 are the reduced projecting ends 44 of the shaft 38. The projections 43 and 44 are loosely.

receivable in vertical slots 45 in pressure members or receivers 46. As shown in Fig. 6, the pressure members are slidably carried in the side stiles I and 2 and are urged downward against bosses or shoulders 41 on the side stiles by coil springs 59 surrounding bolts 48 extending up through the bosses 41 in the side stiles and threaded into bosses 49 on the pressure members. The coil springs 59 are arranged between the under side of the bosses 41 and the heads of the bolts. The lower position of the pressure members 46 is adjusted by washers 5| arranged between the upper side of the shoulders 41 and the lower side of the bosses 49. The upper position of the pressure members islimited by the tension of the springs 50. The upper ends of the pressure members are guided by guides 52 at the top of the side stiles and 2.

When the upper roll and control bar are in the position. shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the pressure between the rolls is released since the conrollers 56.

In the course of the movement of the projections 44 under the rollers 56 the pressure exerted on the upper roll 21 opposes the movement until the center line of the projection 44 reaches a center line connecting the roller 56 and the lower wringer roll 26. After this point is reached the force exerted on the upper roll by the lower roll aids the movement of the projections 44 under the rol1ers'56, and when the flnal position is reached, as shown in Fig. 7, this pressure holds the projections under the rollers.

At this time the pins 43 are out of contact with the rollers 53 and are not effective in maintaining the pressure between the rolls.

As the control bar 40 is moved to the inclined position shown in Figs. 5 and '7, the bosses 4| at the lower ends of the arms 39 cooperate with the open ended slots 42 in the roll guards 30 and 32 to tilt the roll guards to the position shown in Fig. 5. This tilting movement of the roll guard 32 is transmitted to the yoke 26 by means of a tongue 6| on the yoke which flts in a groove 62 in the roll guard 32 and, as explained above,

trol bar and upper roll are free tomove upward in the slots 01' recesses in the pressure members 46. In this position the bosses 4| cooperate with the slots 42 in the roll guards 30 and 32 to move the roll guards to a central position. JIhe roll guard 32 now cooperates with the yoke 20 to maintain both of the gears l2 spaced from the driving pinion H, as shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, the rotation of the rolls is stopped in addition to the roll pressure being released.

To apply the roll pressure and to start the rotation of the rolls, the control bar 40 is pulled toward the operator to the inclined position shown in Figs. 5 and 7. In moving toward this position the pins 43 engage rollers '53 which are rotatably carried on opposite sides of the recess 45 on pins 54 fixed at each end to spaced walls 55 in the pressure members 46. The spaced walls 55 provide a recess for receiving the rollers 53, as is shown more-clearly inFlg. 10. Upon engagement of the pins 43 with the rollers 53 on one side of the recesses 45, the pins 43 serve as fulcrums, about which the control bar pivots. The pivotal movement of the control bar causes the projections 44 at the lower ends of the arms 39 to be forced under rollers 56, as is shown in Fig. 7. r The rollers 56 are likewise located on opposite sides of the recess 45 and are rotatably carried in the recess between the spaced walls 55 on pins 51 fixed at opposite ends in the walls 55. The rollers 55 serve as cam surfaces for fixing the upper roll to the pressure members 46. When the projections 44 are forced or wedged under the rollers 56, the pressure members 46 causes the yoke to be moved axially along the shaft |4 due to the cooperation of the pin 24 and the cam slot 23. This moves one or the other of the gears l2 into mesh with the driving pinion II and starts the rotation of the lower roll. The gearing is arranged so that when the control bar 40 is pulled toward. the operator, the rolls are rotated in the direction to feed clothes away from the operator.

The tilting movement of the roll guards 36 and 32 is also used to tilt the wringer drainboard 63. The drainboard is pivoted at each end on bosses 64 respectively on the side stile 2 and on the wringer head 3. When the roll guards are in the central position shown in Fig. 4, tongues 65 on the roll guards cooperate with notches 66 in the drainboard to move the drainboard to a hortzontal position. When the roll guards are tilted to the position shown in Fig. 5, the tongues 65 cooperate with the notches 66 to tilt the drainboard to a position in which the water falling in the drainboard is drained toward the operator. This is the proper direction if clothes are fed from the side of the wringer which the operator faces.

When the parts are in thepositlon shown in Fig. 7, the lower roll is, as described above, rotated in the direction of the arrow 61. The torque exerted on the upper .-roll by the lower roll accordingly tends to hold the projections 44 under the rollers 56.

The pressure between the rolls is.released and the rotation of the rolls is stopped by retumare slightly raised above the washers 5|, as shown ing the control bar 40 to the central or vertical position. This means that the upper end of the control bar 46 is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 7. Since the pins 43 are out of contact with the rollers 53 the control bar pivots about the projections 44 at the start of this move-' ment. As shown in Fig. 8; the flat surfaces 53 at the lower ends of. the arms 39 cooperate with ation easier.

the-surfaces 60 on the pressure members to pry the projections 44 from under the rollers 66. Since the point of contact between the surfaces 59 and 60 is very close to the center of the projections 44, a large leverage is obtained to assist the prying action. When the projections 44 move to the right (Fig. 8) of a center line connecting the lower roll and the rollers 56, the roll pressure begins to assist in moving the projections 44 from under the rollers S. Since the roll pressure is large compared to the force exerted by the operator on the control bar, the additional movement of the control bar from this position to the central position of Fig. 6 is easily effected. The pins 43 are moved clear of the rollers 53 before the projections 44 are released from the rollers 56. The rollers 53 and projectings 43'have substantially no action during the pressure release. There may be a momentary contact between the projections 43 and rollers 53, as shown in Fig. 8.

Upon the return of the control bar ,to the .central position the rotation of the rolls is stopped and the roll pressure is released. The wringer is accordingly in an inoperative condition. a

With the above described construction it is apparent that the roll pressure is applied easily and, due to the prying action obtained by the cooperating surfaces 59 and 60, is still more easily released. This is important because under emergency conditions when it is desired to release the roll pressure quickly, the rolls are usually separated, and accordingly the roll pressure isgreater due to the greater compression of the springs 50. In the present construction the leverage effective for applying the pressure is that obtained by using the-pins 43 as fulcrum points. pressure is that obtained by using the points of contact between the surfaces 59 .and 66 as fulcrum points. It is therefore obvious that the leverage is greatly increased for the pressure releasing movement of'the control bar.

In the above described construction the rollers 63 and 56 serve as cam surfaces. Since the cam surfa'cesare in vthe form of rollers there is a carrier and frame on the same side as said cam surfaces effective upon tilting of the carrier about the fulcrums to move the projections from under said cam surfaces.

2. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll, projections on the carrier on the axis of the upper roll, a frame, cam

jections are moved under the cam surfaces the force exerted on the upper roll first opposes and then aids the movement of the projections under the cam surfaces, and cooperating fulcrums on the carrier and frame above the cam surfaces and effective upon pivoting of the carrier about The leverage for releasing the minimum of sliding contact between projections t3 and M and the rollers. This makes the opermentarily in contact with the rollers 53 and at that time are not subject to great pressure, it

is possible to eliminate the rollers 53 and substitute therefor fiat surfaces 68, as is shown in Fig., 11. In all other respects the pressure member of Fig. 11 is the same as that shown in Fi 10.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upperroll, a carrier for the upper roll, a frame carrying the lower roll and having recesses for loosely receiving the carrier in an upright position, cam surfaces on the frame at one side of the recesses and above the axis of the upper roll, projections on the carrier, means cooperating with the carrier upon tilting thereof for forcing said projections under said cam surfaces and thereby the fulcrums for prying the projections from under said cam surfaces.

3. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll, a frame carrying the lower roll and having recesses for loosely receiving the carrier in an upright position, cam surfaces at one side of said recesses above the axis of the upper roll, projections on the carrier, means for moving said projections under said cam surfaces to force the upper roll against the lower roll, said projections being moved past a center line connecting the lower roll and the cam surfaces whereby after reaching the center line the force exerted'on the upper roll is effective to move the projections and hold the same under the cam surfaces, and cooperating fulcrums on the carrier and frame on the same side as said cam surfaces effective upon pivotal movement of the carrier about said fulcrums for pry- I ing said projections from under said cam surfaces.

4. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll, a frame carrying the lower rolYand having recesses for loosely receiving the carrier in an upright position,-means for applying a pressure force to the upper roll including cam surfaces on the frame at one side of the recesses above the axis of the upper roll, projections on the carrier, and fulcrums above the projections and on the opposite side of the frame engageable by the carrier upon tilting away from said cam surfaces whereby the projections are forced under the cam surfaces, said cam surfaces and projections being shaped so that as the projections are moved under the cam surfaces the force exerted on the upper roll first opposes and .then aids the movement of the projections under the cam surfaces, and fulcrums on the same side of the frame as the cam surfaces and between the projections and said first fulcrums whereby the projections are forced from under said cam surfaces to a point at which the force exerted on the upper roll is effective to move the projectionsfrom under the cam surfaces upon tilting of the carrier toward said'cam surfaces.

5. In a wringer having a frame and upper and lower rolls, mechanism for pressure forcing the necting the lower roll and the cam surfaces whereby after reaching said center line the force .xerted on the upper roll is effective to move the projections and hold the same under the cam surfaces, nd cooperating ful u on th 755 faces by the above force rolls together comprising cam surfaces on the frame, means including apivotally movable member having projections movable under said cam surfaces to force the rolls together, the projections and cam surfaces being constructed and arranged so that after reaching a certain point in the movement under the cam surfaces, the projectionsare moved and held under the cam surexerted on the pro- Jections, and cooperating fulcrums on said mem- 1 bet and frame above the cam surfaces and effective upon pivotal movement of the member about the fulcrums to pry the projections from under said cam surfaces. s

' 6. In a wrmger, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll, a frame carrying the lower roll and having recesses for loosely receiving' the carrier in an upright position, rollers onthe frame at one side of the recesses and above the axis of the upper roll, projections onthe carrier on the axis of the upperrolhmeans cooper ating with the carrier upontilting thereof for forcing said projections] under said rollers and therebyforcing the upper roll against the lower roll, said projections being moved past a center line connecting the lower roll and the rollers whereby after reaching said center line the force exerted on the upper roll is effective to move the projections'and hold the same under the rollers, and cooperating fulcrums on the carrier and frame on the same side as said cam surfaces effective upon tilting of the carrier about the fulcrums to move the projections from under said rollers.

- 7. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll, projections on the carrier on the axis of the upper roll, a frame, cam surfaces 'on the frame above the axis of the upper-roll, means for forcing the'projections under the cam surfaces whereby the upper roll is forced against the lower roll, said cam surfaces and projections being shaped so that as the pro-"' 

